


Temperature.

by heyitsnxel



Series: Fictober '18 [1]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, First Meeting, M/M, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 16:17:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16162445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyitsnxel/pseuds/heyitsnxel
Summary: Dan's first day of uni isn't exactly how he pictured it to be. But, in the end, maybe that's okay.





	Temperature.

**Author's Note:**

> [1/31 fictober]
> 
> all credit to spookyweekbfs for the idea/prompt. i linked their fictober post at the end of the fic!

There was a chill in the air that matched Dan’s mood perfectly. He felt cold – in all aspects of the word. Physically, because his jacket was still packed away in one of the many boxes on the floor of his room. Emotionally, well, Dan wasn’t quite sure yet.

 

All he knew was, he'd felt cold since the moment he'd woken up that morning.

 

Uni was supposed to be exciting. Dan had imagined nearly every second of his time here and despite it only being the first day, so far nothing had gone according to it. His parents hadn’t even come, for Christ’s sake. He’d been forced to lug all the boxes of his stuff up into his room by himself. Part of him was glad his roommate had yet to show up and the other part was starting to feel crushed by the overwhelming weight of loneliness.

 

Dan’s eyes landed on the empty bed on the other side of the room. He wondered what his roommate would be like. He didn’t even know the guy’s name. Dan hoped he hadn’t been presumptuous to assume which bed he could take, but he _was_ here first.

But, what if this guy needed this side of the room? What if he had his heart set on sleeping on the side of the room with the window and Dan had just taken that from him without giving him a chance? What if he was a total jerk and Dan had already started off their relationship on the wrong foot by choosing this bed? Dan stared at his black and white duvet spread across the mattress, having an internal debate over whether to take it off or not, when the door swung open and (presumably) his roommate tumbled inside.

 

The bag in his hand fell to the floor gracelessly and Dan winced at the scene in front of him. Dan thought he was having a tough time? This guy looked like he’d been hit by a bus just trying to get his stuff inside the building.

 

 

“Uh – “

 

 

Before Dan could even get a word out, a woman came bustling in behind the boy. A large smile covered her face and she gently placed a box on top of the unclaimed bed.

 

 

“Oh, Phil! You’re going to love it here! I’m so proud of you!”

 

 

Much to Dan’s – and now Phil’s dismay – the woman started peppering kisses all over his face, locking her arms around him in a vice grip that could only belong to a mother.

 

 

“Mum…”

 

 

“You’re just so grown up now. I thought that I’d handle this better since I’d already sent Martyn off.”

 

 

Uh-oh. Dan could sense it already. The waterworks were about to start. Phil looked desperately in Dan’s direction. His face was beet red and eyes practically begging Dan to forgive him for the scene that was unfolding. Some strange part of Dan sympathized. Despite the fact his parents hadn’t even seen him off to school; there was something familiar about a mother’s embarrassment. The more cruel part of Dan wanted to laugh.

 

Phil’s mother still had her arms wrapped around his shoulders, staining the pastel blue of his t-shirt with her tears. Phil, for all it was worth, was trying to be supportive. He was awkwardly patting her on the back, mumbling a string of promises to ‘call everyday’ and ‘visit as often as he could.’ Dan felt awkward just standing there, watching this whole thing play out. He briefly wondered if she’d even noticed he was there or if she was just this open with her feelings all the time.

 

“I can stay and help you unpack, dear.”

 

 

“No, mum. It’s fine, really. Dad’s waiting… So…” Phil trailed off, not so subtly looking towards the door.

 

 

“Alright, alright. I’ll leave you be. Don’t forget to call – “

 

 

“Yeah, everyday. Got it. Bye. Love you.”

 

And with that, Phil was ushering her out the door and into the corridor.  The door shut with a bang and Phil leaned his head back against it with a sigh. An uneasy silence settled over the room and Dan was left unsure what to do.

 

 

“Do you want this bed?” Dan abruptly blurted out, cursing himself internally for being so weird.

 

Phil’s eyes opened at this, looking between the empty mattress and Dan’s bed that was already covered with his duvet a few times before he shook his head.

 

“But, you’re stuffs already over there?”

 

“I know, I just thought you might need this side of the room or just want it or something. I don’t know. I just –“

Dan could hear himself rambling, but the words just wouldn’t stop. The whole time he was going on about the sides of the bedroom, Phil’s lips kept quirking more and more upwards until a loud laugh burst from his chest.

 

“Wouldn’t you have thought the same thing if you chose the bed on this side of the room?” Phil asked, motioning towards the bare mattress.

 

Dan blinked. It hadn’t even crossed his mind that the same thing would have happened either way. The dumbfounded look on his face seemed to only amuse Phil further. He let out another quiet chuckle before taking two strides across the room and holding his hand out towards Dan.

 

“Phil Lester, English Linguistics major. Dog lover, klutz, and a total nerd. You’re going to hate me within a month.”

 

He grabbed Dan’s hand before he even had a chance to raise it with a grin Dan couldn’t help but mirror.

 

“Dan Howell, undecided. Advocate for memes, prone to existential crises, and _also_ a total nerd,” Dan shook Phil’s hand gently, ignoring the warmth that shot through his veins. “And, I think you’ll last at least two months before I head to admissions, begging to switch rooms.”

 

* * *

 

 

They’d abandoned unpacking in favor of the Starbuck’s down the street.

Dan finally felt warm – and he could say, without a shadow of doubt, that it wasn’t just because of the jacket over his shoulders and the coffee in his hands.

**Author's Note:**

> rb here : hey-itskxt.tumblr.com :)
> 
> fictober info: http://spookyweekbfs.tumblr.com/post/178577343400/fictober-online-arts-festival-calling-all


End file.
